Australian Light Horse—Palestine 1916–1918

The Australian Light Horse—Palestine 1916–1918 activities booklet features a selection of inquiry-based activities to encourage student exploration of the commemorative publication Australians in World War I: Australian Light Horse—Palestine 1916–1918.

Teachers using these materials are encouraged to select specific activities, parts of activities or the broad selection of primary and secondary materials within this learning resource to suit their own purposes.

Australians in World War I: Australian Light Horse—Palestine 1916–1918—Education Activities

Chapter 13: Australians in Palestine

Desert Mounted Corps

Anzac Mounted Division

Major General Harry Chauvel 1916–1917Major General Edward Chaytor 1917–1918

1st Brigade

1st Regiment (NSW)

2nd Regiment (Qld)

3rd Regiment (SA, Tas)

2nd Brigade

5th Regiment (Qld)

6th Regiment (NSW)

7th Regiment (NSW)

New Zealand Mounted Rifles

Australian Mounted Division

Major General HW Hodgson 1917–1918

3rd Brigade

8th Regiment (Vic)

9th Regiment (SA, Vic)

10th Regiment (WA)

4th Brigade

4th Regiment (Vic)

11th Regiment (Qld, SA)

12th Regiment (NSW)

5th Brigade

14th Regiment

15th Regiment

Victoria Cross

Lieutenant Frank McNamara
No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps

Palestine, 20 March 1917. For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during an aerial bomb attack upon a hostile construction train, when one of our pilots was forced to land behind the enemy’s lines. Lieutenant McNamara, observing the pilot’s predicament and the fact that hostile cavalry were approaching, descended to his rescue. He did this under heavy rifle fire and in spite of the fact that he himself had been severely wounded in the thigh. He landed about 200 yards from the damaged machine, the pilot of which climbed on to Lieutenant McNamara’s machine, and an attempt was made to rise. Owing, however, to his disabled leg, Lieutenant McNamara was unable to keep his machine straight, and it turned over. The two officers, having extricated themselves, immediately set fire to the machine and made their way across to the damaged machine, which they succeeded in starting. Finally, Lieutenant McNamara, although weak from loss of blood, flew this machine back to the aerodrome, a distance of seventy miles, and thus completed his comrade’s rescue. (London Gazette, 8 June 1917)